Fish landings in NC decline for 5th straight year

  NEW BERN, N.C. (AP) — Tighter regulations, combined with imports and higher fuel prices, are to blame for a fifth straight year of declining fish harvests in North Carolina, commercial fishermen said.
  The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, Va., reports that commercial landings of fin fish and shellfish dropped by nearly 6 million in 2007. The figures from the state Division of Marine Fisheries show 63 million pounds were landed in 2007, compared to 68.8 million in 2006.
  But their value increased to $82 million from $70 million, a 17 percent increase.
  Fishermen say imports and higher fuel prices are also to blame, not only for a decline in fish landings, but also a decline in fishermen. There were 8,683 licensed commercial fishermen in North Carolina in 2007 — 1,029 fewer than in 2002, state records show.
  In addition, the number of fish houses has dropped.
  “It’s a combination of things, most importantly the regulatory burden and the cost of doing business,“ said Sean McKeon, president of the North Carolina Fisheries Association.
  Fishermen made nearly 156,000 fishing trips last year, compared with nearly 193,000 trips five years earlier, a drop of about 20 percent.
  Imports, especially foreign shrimp and crab, and fuel prices are hurting fishermen, said David Taylor, chief of the fisheries management section for the Division of Marine Fisheries. That agency collects data on commercial fishery landings, as well how often fishermen go out and how much fish they catch.
  “People can’t make enough money, so they’re getting out” of the business, Taylor said.
  The state manages fish for up to three miles offshore. At that point, federal restrictions apply.